Steve Bruce’s customary post-match e-mail should, for some beleaguered supporters who have already expressed their thoughts, have included the words “I resign”. Such a gesture would, of course, do us no good of any kind with just three games to play this season. But while Bruce has had to grapple with appalling injury problems, this was a dire display …
Dear Colin,
When you defend like that you’re going to end up with frustrating afternoons.
The defensive side of us was awful today. We must get that resilience back because defensive strength was why we got ourselves into such a good position earlier in the season.
I know we’ve had problems up front but to give goals like that away at this level is just not good enough.
We played some good stuff and caused problems early on and that’s frustration when you defend as badly as we did.
We gifted them the goals, whereas we had to play some wonderful stuff to create chances.
Without the strikers we needed to take our chances when they came along and we didn’t do that.
Being honest, our midfielders haven’t scored enough.
Steed has had a couple of chances, Lee Cattermole had a great chance, Jordan’s had one but we weren’t able to take them.
It’s quite incredible where we’re without 10 again today and that’s left us in a serious situation.
But there’s nothing we can do to change it, all we can do is keep on going. We have to show some resilience now because the performance today was just not good enough.
All the best
Steve Bruce
Martin’s quiet isn’t he?
Anybody remember my post/story provided for Salut half way through the season? I was slated for my views on Bruce.
Any SAFC fan who believes we will get anywhere with Bruce in charge needs there head shaking.
Now I know that Steve Bruce will be in charge till the end of season, Niall won’t change anything so late on….so we’ll just have to hope that the average players we have can get another point on the board.
Bruce needs to go. We won’t get anywhere with him in charge
Davey’s fatalism puzzles me.
Your latest post contains phrases almost identical to those used by our manager in his latest e(xcuse) mail.
If you aren’t actually Steve Bruce, then you are suffering from an overdose of Voltaire.
Davey says “that hasn’t paid off and we just have to live with it.”
Well Davey, as fans that’s all we ever can do. Are you suggesting that we should be happy and just stay quiet about it?
BB said we wouldn’t get anoher point – 2 weeks ago – and we have 3
I’m not defending the indefensible – 2nd half yesterday was abysmal – but we played some good stuff first half . We don’t have any forwards – we took a gamble by not getting someone like Fuller or Carew for short term cover – that hasn’t paid off but we have to live with it
Spot on Dave, can’t see us getting another point. I can’t believe that with the players we have that we are so bereft of ideas, have a midfield who can’t shoot and a team that throw in the towel so readily.
Season can’t end soon enough. We need to have a clear out and try to up the battling mentality and additional quality signings. We didn’t have anybody on the bench who was capable of turning things around and making an impact, that is a big problem.
Money will have to be spent and lets hope that we get value for money by an overall improvement in team performances backed by consistency. We have sporodically played some decent stuff, Saturday included up to the first soft goal. Against Chelsea, Arsenal we dug in but our failure is in putting the lesser lights to the sword, this is our main achilles heel.
To become an established top ten team will require us win both home and away at the lower end division grounds, a consistency in this will breed confidence. On off performances against the big boys is not enough regardless of how well we played if we then go and throw it all away against the minnows. Sometimes we will have to win ugly, but if it’s good enough for Man U then its good enough for us. Good organisation, particularly defensively in our case, is a must. The management must provide this if anything is to be gained from next season.
Starting the game yesterday without Zenden was ridiculous. Noble, the only fit striker gets injured playing in a pointless Youth team game midweek. The number of soft tissue injuries isn’t an accident and bad luck either.
The problem we have isn’t bad management, just a complete lack of.
I agree with Dave. I can’t see us getting another point either. Is there another manager in the league that would have got one win in eleven and still be in a job?
It baffles me that so called profesionals can’t just belt a ball towards the goal from 10-15 yards. Steed, Henderson and M’que. None of the buggers can even shoot.
Bruce must go. His tactics are a disaster, what did he say to the players at half time yesterday?? Playing players out of position and making substitutions that actual make us play worse are his trademarks this season. Poor judgement in transfer market, who buys a 3 south americans then announces a couple of months later they’re not equipt to play in the prem? How many fans thought we’d cope without replacing Bent? None that I spoke to. Add to that Bruces lack of man management skills as time and again he fails to get the best out of proven talent. Martin O’Neil in and a top 8 finish next term is possible, keep bruce and we’ll have yet another **** season next year.
First half was ok although it was clear we were never going to score and Fulham picked up on this and grew in confidence, in the second half Sunderland just threw in the towel, I wish the season was over as I’m tired of the disappointment. There is no doubt that some of the players are simply not good enough, and I agree with Niall Quinn that we need mentally tough players, I certainly wouldn’t waste any money on Muntari. In my opinion the team on saturday should have been full of confidence after beating Wigan (shows how bad they were) but there was nothing, no passion, no heart, no skill, and no inspiration from the manager. I’ve reached the conclusion that we are destined never to achieve what the supporters desire, we may from time to time show signs of progress but as always with Sunderland there’s a big reality check coming just around the corner! As for the rest of this season I can’t see us getting another point.
Sadly I was on a weekend home this week and had it spoiled as usual by witnesseng what was basically another poor excuse fir a oerformance, lets not forget, we were playing Fulham, and once again I have o endure SB blaming everyone in the world except himself, i am also a tad amazed that Mr Short has not seen through him, how i wish we could tempt a quality manager like Martin O Neill, or ark Hughes to be fair. I actually feel a bit cheated by that performance and the same as same as comments.
“Steve Bruce’s customary post-match e-mail should, for some beleaguered supporters who have already expressed their thoughts, have included the words “I resign”.”
I could not agree more as I blame him, entirely, for our loss of form.
For me, it goes back to his comments after the January transfer window when he said that “we have some tough fixtures coming up but following those we have a gentle run in” (or words to that effect).
That just happened to coincide with the start of our dreadful run and I can’t help thinking that the team picked up on the sentiments being expressed i.e we don’t expect much from the next 7 games but we’ll be fine after that.
Sure that run of fixtures was, potentially, tough but he gave the team licence to fail and then confidence was lost for the “easier” games – form cannot be turned off and on like a tap!
Certainly, injuries have not helped but for a manager to be so negative I think goes beyond what is acceptable.
So, in the summer I think that he MUST go and a replacement brought in who does not have a history of results tailing off in the second halves of seasons – that has happened EVERY season with Bruce, both here and elsewhere.
If I was Ellis Short I would have lost all confidence in allowing Bruce to squander the positive results gained by spending my money!
Steve Bruce is repeating his mistakes time and time again,what does he have against left backs ? he was the same at Birmingham he tried at least 6 including several right footers.
I had the displeasure of watching it. :s
After a bright start, we looked like the better team with some good passing. But, once the first goal had gone in, we were just drained. It had the look and feel of a training match.
Muntari was a bit off colour today with a few wayward passes. And obviously with no strikers on the pitch, we never looked likely to score. Thought Henderson, Colback and Catts did ok. Looks like were limping in to the close season, not only with physical injuries, but confidence injuries too.